Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-07-10

,Ieeelc'B CRIMSON MOWERS Win tl' uh'
mond crescent that held the lace to-
petber she looked at her reflection III
The mirror with distinctly pleasure
bic sensation.
The guests had already arrived when
she reached the drawing-roOm the
Curate had been asked also informally,
and had been pleased to come.
Mr.. Amherst was talking to jessie,
end his back YVES turned toward the
door when Miss DGnver entered, so the
Curate and she were introduced and
had uttered % few common places to
each other before the guest-in-cmet
TUNED round.
when he lid so he saw woman who
Looked like a Queen smiling down
kindly on her companion.
She was standing in the shadow OF
II g window-curtain, and the light from
Tie western sky caught Che graceful
outlines Of her figure and brought into
rrominence the nch fabric of her dress
and the diamonds sparkling at her ears
Mr. Amherst seemed to feel his heart
stand still, then it gave great bound,
50 that it was very crcditable 10 his
self-control that he was able to ask in
his usual voice, "Who is that laiy ? ~
cit is aunt Eliza; she has come mp
TO town for few days, and will be with
Is till Friday
"Will YOU introduce me to herr"
So he was introduced, but had only
time TO bow before the waiter an
ncunced dinner, and then he gave his
arm to Mrs. Danyer, and Mr.. Symonds
gave his to Aunt Eliza, and the girls
brought up the rear.
Jessie sat on Mr.. Amherst's left, aud
Mr.. Symonds sat between Clara and
Aunt Eliza. The dinner was excellent
of its kind and the table looked very
pretty, but something seemed wrong.
Mir. Amherst talked little and what
he said was not possessed OF any re-
markable interest; Aunt Eliza scarcely
spoke at all, and only that Mr.. Sy-
mords had hobby about the better
housing OF bopoor and talked of it I'M
weariedly tho whole company would
have been absolutely silent at times.
When the ladies' were back IN the
drawing-roOm Clara expressed her sur
prise that any one had ever said Mr..
Amherst was clever, and unhesltatingly
de clared him ten times more stupid
than Mr.. Symonds. Mrs. Danyer
sighed and said nothing. Having
como to the conclusion that his atten-
tons to Jessie had been without signi-
fcation she had no further personal
interest in him. The poor lady was not
very clever, but it does not require
brilliant genius to arrive at the conclu-
sion that man in love does not allow
the object OF his affections to talk 10
him for five minutes without under
standing a SINGLE word she says.
Jessie flung herself on the sofa with
q yawn. She had been a goose to I'M
aeine Mr.. Amherst meant anything
but. Heaven be praised she had never
let any one suspect she thought it.
Aunt / liza said nothing, only famed
herself, though the room had grown
cool enough.
Ty-aud-by Clara went to the piano
and logan toplaya piece, ~ and when
she would have dosisted on the appear
ance of the gentlemen Mr. Amherst
SAID. "Pleasc go on" in tone taat
sounded somewhat like d command.
| Then le came over and seated himself
beside huut Eliza.
81 have been seeking yOu for I've
years. he said in q low voice, under
cover Of the music.
Indeed ~
She turned her head slowly AMI
locked at him with her clear, keen
gaze.
vortise for you, thinking to reach you
that way.
- scarcely ever read the papers. 1
have not time.
" Where are YOU living -
at Saltwater. | own the Eagle
Hotel thore.'
1t the last words her voice had uu-
consciously taken a clearer intonation,
md 90 Jessie heard them The girl
rose and moved away, and there was
wrath in her heart. Aunt Eliza was
horrible; when she knew how they
hated the hotel, and when they had
begged hernot to mention it twas not
because of Mr. Amherst she was angry
he did not matter now; her indigna-
ton was against the needless unkind-
ness Of her relative.
and yet Mr.. Amherst had not IN the
least understood what he had been told.
1t was Miss Danver herself who in
tcrcsted him, not her circumstances.
~ hope you are as little changed in
heart as IN face he said.
what do you mean ?'
Il hope you have never forgotten.
Oh. no, | never forget
q" Nor either. No woman has ever
oustcd You from my heart even for au
hour
She did not know what to say. She
WIS bcwildorcd, and amused, and
pleased, and saddcncd allat once. That
tins great. bearded man, with threads
of silver among the brown hair Mt his
ten pies, should taho her by storm Ike
! this was the oddcat sensation And get
it was this very impc tuo,ity more than
ANYTHING else that identified the nam
before her with the boy-loyer ot her
! girilood.
~ have wondered often ami OFT n,
Lc said, taking mp her ian and un!ar,-
ire it slowly as be talked, IF you UNI
dcrstood my going oil as | did ,"
No, did Lot understand it.
"You don't know what ] felt like,
when, for the first time, | realized my
position and yours. DO you know it
Was not until you lost your money, and
existing things between us became im-
possible Of continuance, that | ualer-
stood what an unmanly thing it is for
man without career orfortune to WOO
an heiress, or what base thing 1t is
for man to be helpless aud depend.
ent? That you had lost your home,
and that |, your accepted husband,
had none TO offer you, smOte me with
conscious degradation. Ii was some
thing more than despair / felt--it was
dishonOr Then [ wondered il you
saw me with eyes similar to those with
which | looked on myself, and | fled
before your imagined seon. 1t all
comes back to mc as wildly as though
it were happening now" he said, pass
Ing his hand quickly across his fore